Written by: Bob Colling
Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 6/17/2010
From: Orlando, FL
Backstage, Eric Bischoff is sitting down to provide a comment regarding the TNA Tag Team Championships. The Band have been stripped of the titles due to personal issues of Scott Hall. There will be a tournament to determined who wrestles the Motor City Machine Guns at Victory Road.
Opening Contest: The Band (Kevin Nash & Eric Young) vs. Ink Inc.(Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal) in a number one contenders tournament match: Nash and Young go on the attack before the bell. Neal is worked over by Young in the corner. Young scoop slams Neal and leaps off the middle rope to deliver a forearm drop for a two count. Neal is rammed into Nash’s big boot on the apron. Nash tags into the match and knee lifts Neal several times in the corner. Nash forearms Neal a few times followed by elbow strikes. Nash chokes Neal and Young delivers a clothesline on the apron. Young decks Neal with a clothesline upon tagging in and gets a near fall. Neal headbutts Young, but runs into an elbow strike leading to a near fall. Young chokes Neal in the corner and plays to the crowd. Young scoop slams Neal and heads to the top rope hitting an elbow drop managing a two count. Neal elbows Young in the corner, but can’t tag in Moore. Neal decks Young with another strike and tries to tag in Moore again. Moore gets the hot tag and dropkicks Young followed by a spinning heel kick. Moore atomic drops Young and nails Young with another spinning heel kick for a two count. Young flips over in the corner and Moore dropkicks Nash on the apron. Moore has Young on the top rope hitting a hurricanrana, but Nash breaks the cover at two. Nash tries for a powerbomb, but Neal spears Nash. Ink Inc. hit a Samoan Drop/blockbuster combo on Young to win the match. (*1/2. The finish was cool and I like a clean finish. I’m just not struggling to get behind a push for Ink Inc. I think my issue is that it feels as if Neal is being shoved down our throats. I’m assuming that the Band won’t be lasting too much longer with Hall departing the company. Young never fit with the group, so hopefully he gets repackaged.)
Apparently, Hogan, Dixie and Bischoff couldn’t agree on the top three contenders and as a result there will be a match between Abyss, Lethal and Jeff Hardy with the winner getting a title shot at Victory Road.
Ric Flair makes his way out to the ramp with AJ Styles, Desmond Wolfe, Kazarian and Beer Money Inc. Flair is about to have an announcement and heads to the ring as there is a commercial.
Backstage, Chelsea is talking with Abyss and says she doesn’t want to be with Desmond Wolfe. She wants to be with Abyss and doesn’t want to be punished by Wolfe mentally. Abyss tells Chelsea that tonight is not the night and that she’s not going to want to be around him after tonight. Chelsea is heartbroken.
Back to the ring, Flair has an announcement for the world. Flair says they are going to reform the Four Horsemen. Flair calls the new group Fortune. Flair says that Fortune will change the direction of TNA forever. Flair talks about the Horsemen and says that the group tried everyday to be the best at whatever they were doing. Flair turns his attention to Styles and tells him he needs to have a better attitude and the same goes for Kazarian. Flair is telling them that the Horsemen would eat all of them alive. Flair it is time for a change in TNA. Flair tells the crowd to shut up about Jay Lethal. Flair says that Styles committed suicide when Lethal beat him.
Jay Lethal makes his way out to join the segment. Lethal is doing a impression of Flair again. Lethal says that it looks like the Horsemen took a dump in the ring and left them in the ring. Lethal believes they aren’t Horsemen and considers it disrespectful. Flair chimes in and calls Lethal a piss ant before taking off his clothes and throwing it out of the ring. Lethal mocks Flair by elbow dropping his jacket. Flair says that Lethal can’t be him and they have a woo off. Lethal doesn’t want Flair to be upset that they took Space Mountain down. Flair says it’s the oldest ride with the longest line. Flair taunts the crowd by doing some hip thrusts. Desmond Wolfe chimes in and tells Lethal to stop disrespecting a legend. Wolfe issues a challenge to Lethal for a match tonight. Lethal mentions Wolfe not being able to control Chelsea. Lethal suggests that Chelsea likes sixty minutes with a younger men. Lethal says that jumping on is a lot easier than jumping off. Flair is livid about Lethal stealing his lines. Flair tells Wolfe that if he loses then he’s history forever.
Backstage, TNA Knockout Tag Champion Lacey Von Erich is getting a massage.
Backstage, Mr. Anderson is arriving to the building and says he’s ready for the triple threat match. Anderson says they will see the real Anderson, but that depends who they think the real version of him truly is.
Second Contest: Samoa Joe vs. Hernandez: Hernandez backs Joe into the corner and cleanly backs off. Joe jabs Hernandez a few times to gain the cheap advantage in the corner and continues with stomps. Joe delivers a running back elbow and a spinning kick to drop Hernandez to the mat in the corner. Hernandez is met with a running forearm strike by Joe. Joe rams Hernandez into the corner face first and dumps Hernandez to the apron. Hernandez hits a slingshot shoulder block and a splash in the corner. Hernandez nails Joe with a running clothesline. Joe battles back with jabs and chops. Hernandez runs over Joe with a tackle. Matt Morgan comes out and low blows Hernandez while the referee was checking on Joe. Joe tosses Hernandez with a t-bone suplex and wins the match. (*. I wouldn’t mind a long form match between these two down the road. I’m not very interested in the feud between Morgan and Hernandez. Joe should still be a focus in the main event scene instead of being stuck in the midcard scene.) After the match, Joe sees that Morgan got involved. Morgan tells Joe to bring it on and Morgan proceeds to bail to the floor after realizing he’s cornered.
Backstage, AJ Styles meets with Desmond Wolfe regarding his match with Lethal. Styles tells Wolfe that Chelsea doesn’t want to be with Wolfe anymore. Styles suggests Wolfe gets his woman in line. Styles reminds Wolfe that if he loses then he’s out.
Backstage, Jeff Hardy cuts a promo about the main event. Hardy doesn’t know if he can trust Anderson. Anderson shows up and tells Hardy may the best man win tonight.
TNA X-Division Champion Douglas Williams is in the ring talking about Slammiversary and celebrating everything including the X-Division Championship. Williams is here to mourn the death of the current X-Division style. Williams promises to show that move tonight, as well. Williams says that the X-Division will be more like his style of wrestling. Williams is going to showcase that style tonight.
Third Contest: TNA X-Division Champion Douglas Williams vs. Max Buck in a non-title match: Williams snapmares Buck to start the match, but doesn’t followup on the advantage. Williams arm drags Buck, but is sent to the floor with a head scissors. Williams hits a Samoan Drop to stop Buck’s momentum. Williams knee drops Buck followed by an uppercut. Williams keeps a headlock on Buck and switches to an abdominal stretch. Williams delivers a knee strike in the corner followed by a gut wrench and exploder suplex. Williams leaps off the middle rope, but Buck avoids it and hits a blockbuster for a two count. Williams elbows Buck in the corner and hits a tornado DDT for the win. (*. It’s kind of funny that Williams finds the tornado DDT to be the best thing to takeout the X-Division style. The storyline isn’t anything new, but Williams is doing well with it.) After the match, Brian Kendrick runs into the ring and puts a chokehold on Williams causing the champion to tap out quickly. Kendrick choked out Williams to end the segment.
Angelina Love is in the ring and says that she realized that her career could come to an end at any moment since she was on the shelf for six weeks. Love isn’t going to waste her career. Love is wrestling Lacey tonight and then Velvet Sky next week. Love has a title match against Madison Rayne at Victory Road. She calls out Lacey for their match right now.
Fourth Contest: Angelina Love vs. TNA Knockouts Tag Champion Lacey Von Erich: Love quickly clotheslines Lacey to start the match. Love rams Lacey into the corner a few times followed by strikes. Love knee lifts Lacey a few times to the midsection followed by a leg sweep. Love continues with a series of kicks in the corner and chokes Lacey. Lacey springboards off the ropes and drop toe holds Love for a two count. Love forearms Lacey, but Lacey yanks Love down to the mat. Lacey continues with strikes in the corner. Love powerbombs Lacey out of the corner. Love shoves So Cal Val to the ground and grabs a steel chair. Love plants Lacey with a DDT onto the chair to cause a disqualification. (1/2*. I can get behind a new attitude for Love, but this match wasn’t very good.)
Backstage, Jay Lethal is talking with Hulk Hogan and talks about sharing a locker room with legends. Hogan wishes that Andre was alive because he’d love Lethal. Hogan talks about putting Lethal in the right spot and Lethal is staying at that level. Hogan dismissed the impressions and says that Lethal is full of talent. Hogan says that it’s going to be more intense because Lethal has a target on his back. Hogan suggests Lethal figure out a Hogan impression.
Backstage, Christy Hemme interviews Jeff Hardy. Hardy would love to wrestle RVD at Victory Road. Mr. Anderson enters the scene and thinks that Hemme is trying to stir the pot between them. Anderson asks how many times Hardy fought with his brother and they made up. Anderson says the only difference now is that a title shot is on the line. Anderson knows they will be able to look each other in the eye and know they did it like men. They pound fists and walk off.
Prior to the next match, Brother Ray asks Devon if he’s going to be mad at him forever regarding the Jesse Neal drama. Ray wants to focus on getting the tag titles back. Devon didn’t respond to Ray’s questions.
Fifth Contest: Team 3D vs. Beer Money Inc. in a number one contenders tournament match: Roode sends Devon into the ropes and is met with a shoulder block. Devon hip tosses Roode, but misses a leg drop. Roode hits a rolling neck snap on Devon and keeps control with strikes. Devon clotheslines Roode leading to a near fall. Ray side slams Roode as Devon hits a leg drop for a near fall. Ray slams Roode, but misses an elbow drop. Storm tags in and Beer Money backdrop Ray coming off the ropes. Storm drops Ray with a right hand. Storm chokes Ray on the mat. Ray rams Storm into the corner as we see Ink Inc. has joined commentary. Storm is double teamed by 3D as they hit double headbutts for a two count. Storm punches Devon and Roode delivers an atomic drop. Storm hits a swinging neckbreaker and a knee drop for a two count. Beer Money hit a double suplex on Devon. Bubba enters to clean house with strikes. All four men are in the ring brawling. Ray decks Roode on the middle rope and has Roode on his shoulders as Devon hits a top rope clothesline for a near fall. Devon flapjacks Roode as Devon thought they were doing the 3D. Ray left to brawl with Ink Inc. Storm spits beer into Devon’s face and Roode pins Devon with a rollup. (*. I was completely expecting Team 3D to win and have another match with Ink Inc. I’d much rather this decision, though. The match was okay, but again the matches don’t get enough time to really get going. This was mostly angle advancement for Ink Inc’s feud with Team 3D and add more tension between Ray and Devon.)
Backstage, Desmond Wolfe is with Chelsea and says he’ll talk to her later. He says she has a chance to redeem herself tonight.
Sixth Contest: Jay Lethal vs. Desmond Wolfe: Wolfe shoves Lethal off the middle rope to the floor during Lethal’s entrance. Tommy Dreamer is seen walking in the crowd. Wolfe yanks Lethal down by his arm and Wolfe yells at Chelsea some more. The crowd just now realize that Dreamer is in the crowd. Wolfe plants Lethal with a hammerlock DDT. Chelsea leaves ringside and trips on the ramp and is yelled by Wolfe. Lethal meets Wolfe on the ramp with right hands and tosses Wolfe into the ring. Lethal clotheslines Wolfe a few times followed by a heel kick. Lethal hits a handspring back elbow, but Wolfe sends Lethal into the turnbuckle chest first. Lethal hits a back suplex/neckbreaker combo and pins Wolfe. (1/2*. It’s matchups like this that really frustrate me. These guys got less than three minutes. It’s such a shame. Wolfe is out of Fortune, apparently. It’s a good win for Lethal, but the match could have been so much better with the proper time.) After the match, Wolfe attacks Lethal. Wolfe yanks Lethal down to the mat by his arm as Ric Flair comes down to the ring. Wolfe holds Lethal to allow Flair to chop Lethal. Flair low blows Lethal and now here comes Hulk Hogan. Wolfe and Flair bail to the floor to avoid Hogan. Hogan raises Lethal’s arm to give an endorsement. Hogan says that Lethal is a reason as to why TNA is on fire. Hogan puts over Lethal’s background and says he forgot he is an TNA executive. Hogan has a major announcement and calls out Flair to come back out. Hogan notes that Flair has been a thorn in Lethal’s side for a while. Hogan books a match between Lethal and Flair at Victory Road. Flair flips out over that announcement.
The new top ten contenders list is the following from ten to four. Angle, Wolfe, Pope, Lethal, Samoa Joe, Sting, and AJ Styles. The final three are involved in the main event to crown a number one contender.
Jeff Jarrett is in the ring and calls out Sting for a confrontation. Jarrett wants Sting to take his glasses off so that Jarrett can look him in the eyes while he speaks. Sting takes his sunglasses off and looks into Jarrett’s eyes. Jarrett isn’t going to ask why again because he doesn’t want to hear the excuses. Jarrett reminds Sting that he called Sting when he first started the company. Jarrett wanted Sting for his professionalism and leadership. Jarrett wanted Sting to work with him and not for him. Jarrett says they’ve given all they can to the company over the past eight years. Jarrett says every time their careers have crossed paths they have treated each other with respect. That ended at Sacrifice because Sting wanted to end his career. Jarrett says that Sting made a mistake in allowing him to be standing. Jarrett asks Sting if he thinks this is funny. Jarrett notes they have a rematch next week and it won’t be funny. Jarrett tells Sting that he’s wrong about Hogan and Bischoff. Jarrett says that Hogan and Bischoff have given everything to the company and Hogan has given his body to the promotion, which may be too much to ask. Jarrett isn’t just wrestling for his family, but he’s going to be fighting for Bischoff and Hogan. Jarrett is also going to be fighting for the most important people, the TNA fans. Jarrett walks off as Sting hasn’t said a word.
Main Event: Jeff Hardy vs. Abyss vs. Mr. Anderson in a number one contenders match: Anderson and Hardy work together to beat on Abyss against the ropes. Hardy leaps off Anderson’s back, but is caught by Abyss in the corner. Abyss tries for a double chokeslam, but they break free. Anderson and Hardy hit a double suplex on Abyss for a near fall. Abyss spears both men to gain control of the match. Abyss sends Anderson into the corner and does the same to Hardy in the opposite corner. Hardy takes Abyss out with the Whisper In The Wind. Hardy dropkicks Abyss into the guard railing. Anderson doesn’t turn on Hardy and instead baseball slides Abyss. Hardy takes Abyss out with a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Anderson pummels Abyss with right hands on the floor. The referee has counted all three men out and the match ends in a triple count out. (DUD. A triple count out in a three way match is something I don’t recall ever seeing. I’m assuming this means a four way at the PPV.)
Abyss yanks Anderson off the apron and delivers a right hand. Hardy asks what’s going on with Abyss and is decked by Abyss with a forearm. Abyss chases after the referee. Abyss rolls Hardy and Anderson back into the ring. Abyss sends Hardy through the ropes to the floor. Abyss has Anderson setup for the Shock Treatment and hits it. Abyss hits Hardy with a kendo stick a few times. Abyss tossed a bag of tacks into the ring. Abyss continues to hit Hardy with the kendo stick. Well, it’s actually not tacks and instead shards of glass. Abyss hits Anderson over the back with the kendo stick a few more times. Abyss plants Anderson onto the glass with the Black Hole Slam. Anderson is screaming in agony. Hardy has crawled up the ramp, but Abyss isn’t done with Hardy. Hardy fights back with right hands, but Abyss knee lifts Hardy a few times. Abyss has Hardy on the stage and chokeslams Hardy off the stage through tables on the side of the ramp. Abyss taunts the crowd at the top of the ramp. Hulk Hogan comes out and asks Abyss what that was all about. Abyss points at Hogan and says “you” to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
The in-ring action left a lot to be desired this week. I enjoyed the Lethal/Flair segment and I am fully supporting a heel turn by Abyss. Abyss is a far more interesting and entertaining character when he’s a deranged heel. I can’t say this was a good show because the in-ring was incredibly uninspiring.
Thanks for reading.